COMMUNITY ACHIEVERS

Essay contest

Students from across the United States participated in the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum’s 21st annual student essay contest.

The memorial museum received 771 entries from students in 44 states. Winning essays in fifth through 12th grades came from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kentucky, Maryland and Florida.

The essay contest gave students the opportunity to share how individuals or communities have shown strength and resilience to overcome challenges or tragedies.

Each winner received a cash prize and was recognized at a ceremony at the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum in April. Those chosen for their winning essays included:

h Fifth- and sixth-grade winners: First place, Sarah Stiegelmeyer, Lakeview Intermediate, Yukon; second place, Christopher Solomon, Waynoka Elementary School; and third place, Janelle Amoah, Fisher Elementary School, Oklahoma City.

h Seventh- and eighth-grade winners: First place,

Avery Burton, Seiling Public Schools; second place,

Adrianna Rivera, Chandler Jr. High School; and third place, Jada Burns, Oakdale Public School, Edmond.

h Ninth- and 10th-grade winners: First place, Michaela Stevens, Arkansas School for Math, Science and the Arts, Hot Springs; second place, Isadora Wise, Powell County High School, Stanton, Kentucky; and third place, Baylee Weatherford, Valliant High School.

h 11th- and 12th-grade winners: First place, Avery Brown, Crossings Christian School, Oklahoma City; second place, Aaron Siegle, Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, Olney, Maryland; and third place, Isabela Deneka, Armwood High School, Seffner, Florida.

Spelling bee

Rachel Xiang, an eighth-grader at Cheyenne Middle School in Edmond, was the winner of the recently held Thunder Regional Spelling Bee.

Adam Albirini, an eighth-grader at Heritage Hall, was runner-up. This year marked Albirini’s third top 10 appearance at the Bee.

This year’s event was the second Thunder Regional Spelling Bee since the Oklahoma City Thunder became sponsors of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The top 24 students from a 50-county central Oklahoma region competed for the title at Paycom Center.

Rachel will represent central Oklahoma at the Scripps National Spelling Bee Finals the week of Memorial Day at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.

THE OKLAHOMAN FILE The Mustang High School varsity winter guard won first place at the recent Winter Guard & Percussion of Oklahoma state competition in Jenks. The Mustang High School junior varsity team earned third place in its class, and the Mustang cadet team placed 13 of 20.